Blinn To Consider Stopping Construction Of New West Bryan Campus

Photo taken February 19, 2015 of Blinn College property at Leonard Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway in west Bryan.
Photo taken February 19, 2015 of Blinn College property at Leonard Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway in west Bryan.

Two months after groundbreaking was originally scheduled to take place on Blinn College’s new campus in west Bryan, the project might be scrapped.

Blinn announced Tuesday an offer from the Texas A&M system to be a part of the $150 million dollar conversion of the Riverside campus to a research and development center.

Next Tuesday, Blinn trustees will meet to consider a halt to their more than $46 million dollar first phase construction at Harvey Mitchell Parkway and Leonard Road.

Since January, Blinn’s general contractor has been clearing ground on the 95 acre site that was purchased just over a year ago.

The first phase of the west Bryan campus…a four story academic building, a student resource center, and about 900 parking spaces…was projected to handle 2,500 students and 60 employees.

Blinn officials would not comment about how much money has been spent on the west Bryan campus…which was supposed to open in the fall of 2017…what it will cost the college to get out of its present contracts, and how that will impact the bond issues approved by trustees last month.

A and M has asked Blinn to consider leasing ground on what is now being called the RELLIS campus to construct one building. Blinn would not comment until they meet next week how many students could be accommodated, an estimated construction cost, and a construction timeline.

The trustees meeting is next Tuesday morning at 10 in Brenham.

News release from Blinn College:

The Texas A&M University System has invited Blinn College to build facilities at the newly announced RELLIS Campus, formerly Riverside campus, that would allow the community college to enter into innovative partnerships with the universities of the Texas A&M System.

John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, recently unveiled plans to invest $150 million to create a new research and development campus to help companies move ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace while also offering a new path toward a college degree.

The RELLIS Campus initially would include seven new buildings, and companies would be invited to construct their own research facilities on the 2,000-acre site. The focus would include robotics, driverless and connected vehicles, advanced manufacturing, large-scale testing, as well as smart power grids and water systems.

A planned education center would offer students the opportunity to pursue four-year degrees from Texas A&M System universities that participate at RELLIS.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, May 31, 2016, the Blinn board will consider halting construction on its site at 851 N. Harvey Mitchell Parkway in Bryan and constructing a new facility on a ground lease at the RELLIS Campus. Prior to receiving The Texas A&M System’s invitation, Blinn had begun developing the Bryan site for a new campus that would allow the College to develop additional, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and other core curriculum offerings, and expand its workforce, technical, and research programs.

“We believe RELLIS represents a unique opportunity for Blinn College and we are glad the Trustees are considering it,” Chancellor Sharp said. “It will be a great opportunity for thousands of young Texans as well.”

The RELLIS Campus is named for the Texas Aggies’ core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service.

“This proposal has the potential to strengthen the Blinn College District’s exceptional reputation for leadership and innovation,” said David Sommer, Blinn College Board President. “This invitation reflects Blinn’s longstanding tradition of partnering with the state’s leading institutions, and our community, to the benefit of students and taxpayers.”

“The trustees and I are honored to have been invited to partner with the Texas A&M System on the RELLIS Campus,” said Dr. Mary Hensley, Blinn District President/CEO. “The vision for this campus and the opportunity to establish a national model for collaboration between universities and community colleges is extremely exciting.”

Blinn College and Texas A&M University have a proud history of cutting-edge, innovative partnerships. Since 2001, the Texas A&M-Blinn TEAM (Transfer Enrollment at A&M) Program has served as the nation’s model for a collaborative, co-enrollment partnership between a major university and a community college. The TEAM Program has allowed thousands of additional qualified students to earn their degree from Texas A&M while enjoying the benefits of enrollment at both institutions, and in 2014 the program received the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s coveted Star Award as one of the top educational initiatives in Texas.

Texas A&M and Blinn built upon the TEAM Program’s success with the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn-Bryan and the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn-Brenham, offering students additional pathways to pursue an engineering degree from Texas A&M and helping to meet the nationwide demand for highly skilled engineering graduates.

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